The controller of BBC One has defended The Voice, the television talent
contest which cost the corporation £22 million, in the face of falling
ratings.

Danny Cohen said audience figures for the show started on such a high that it was no surprise to see them fall.

However, he refused to rule out a change of judges when the programme returns for a second series and at least one of them is expected to be sacked. The panel currently comprises Sir Tom Jones, Jessie J, will.i.am and Danny O'Donoghue.

The Voice launched last month in a blaze of publicity and initially trounced ITV rival Britain’s Got Talent in the Saturday night ratings battle. However, ratings have fallen from a high of 10.7 million to just 6.6 million.

Viewers have criticised the judges for being “boring” and “too nice” to the performers.

Cohen is in the firing line as it was his decision to spend £22 million of licence fee money on buying the format from Dutch reality television mogul John De Mol, creator of Big Brother, in a two-year deal.

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He said of the ratings fall: “I don’t get massively engaged week by week in whether we are up or down. The way I look at it, we have launched the most successful BBC One entertainment show in over a decade. We didn’t expect such high ratings at the start - shows like X Factor started on around five million.

“There are always moments when the competition is strong - sometimes that helps us, sometimes it doesn’t. But I genuinely couldn’t be happier. It is a quality series and audiences are responding to it.”

Asked if he would make format changes next season, including replacing the judges, Cohen replied: “I don’t want to get into that. I love our judges, I think they are amazing.”

A BBC insider described Sunday night’s 6.6 million ratings as a “blip” and said: “In a way we are the victim of our own success, going so high so early.” Saturday's show had an average audience of 8.2 million.

Confirming that changes will be made for series two, the source added: "The show is not going to be a carbon copy next year."

Producers have drafted in Kylie Minogue and Cheryl Cole as performers for the final two episodes, on May 26 and June 2, in an attempt to boost ratings.